Egypt
Egypt, land of the Pharaohs, Cleopatra and romance. Egypt is perfect for a romantic getaway amongst the mystery of the
History of Egypt
Egypt has a history which has intrigued mankind for centuries. This is not surprising as the pyramids are still standing to show what a great civilisation Ancient Egypt had.
The First dynasty was founded around 3100 BC by King Menes. For the next 3000 years, Egypt was ruled by a series of dynasties which included kings or pharaohs such as Tutankhamun.
The first two ruling dynasties of a unified Egypt set the stage for the Old Kingdom period, c.2700-2200BC, famous for its many pyramids, most notably the Third Dynasty pyramid of Djoser and the Fourth Dynasty Giza Pyramids.
These dynasties ended with the Thirtieth Dynasty after it fell to the Persians in 343 BC after the last native Pharaoh, King Nectanebo II, was defeated in battle. Later, Egypt fell to the Greco–Macedonians and Romans, beginning over two thousand years of foreign rule. The last ruler from the Ptolemaic line was Cleopatra VII, who committed suicide with her lover Marc Antony, after Caesar Augustus had captured them.
Geography of Egypt
Egypt is situated on the continent of North Africa. The vast majority of Egypt is a desert landscape but the Nile valley has many fertile plains.
Egypt is bordered by Libya to the west, Sudan to the south, and by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east.
Climate of Egypt
Egypt has an arid climate with most of the rain falling in the winter months.
Temperatures average between 80°F (27°C) and 90°F (32°C) in summer, and up to 109°F (43°C) on the Red Sea coast. Winter temperatures average between 55°F (13°C) and 70°F (21°C). A steady wind from the northwest helps hold down the temperature near the Mediterranean coast. The Khamaseen is a wind that blows from the south in Egypt in spring, bringing sand and dust, and sometimes raises the temperature in the desert to more than 100°F (38°C). Every year, a predictable flooding of the Nile replenishes Egypt's soil. This gives the country consistent harvest throughout the year. Many know this event as The Gift of the Nile.